1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a demountable shield connector which prevents admission of electromagnetic waves and/or water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A shield connector is already known and disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Application No. 63-127093. The shield connector is shown in FIG. 7.
Referring to FIG. 7, the shield connector is generally denoted at 100 and includes a tubular metal shell 102 having a stopping step or shoulder 101 at a front end portion thereof and having an opening at the rear end thereof. An inner housing 105 made of an insulating resin material is fitted in the metal shell 102, and a plurality of terminals 104 are accommodated in the inner housing 105 and individually connected to a shield cable 103. A rear shell 109 made of a metal is secured at 110 to a rear end portion of the metal shell 102 by caulking. The rear shell 109 is secured at 108 to a coating 107 of the shield cable 103 by caulking and retained on a braided shield 106 of the shield cable 103. A holding member 111 made of a resin material is retained on the rear shell 109, and an outer housing 112 made of an insulating resin material is provided on the outer profile of the metal shell 102 with a front arresting pawl 113 of the former engaged with the stopping step 101 of the latter.
A companion shield connector (not shown) having a similar construction to the shield connector 100 and cooperating with the shield connector 100 to constitute a shield connector assembly is fitted with a front portion of the shield connector 100 such that the terminals of them are connected to each other and the metal shells 102 are fitted with each other. Thus, electromagnetic waves from the outside are absorbed by the metal shells 102 and the rear shells 109 and grounded by way of the braided shields 106 of the shield cables 103. Accordingly, electromagnetic waves are absorbed over the entire connector assembly, and consequently, generation of electric noise is prevented.
The conventional shield connector 100 of the structure described above, however, is disadvantageous in that, since the rear shell 109 is secured to the metal shell 102 by caulking and the rear shell 109 is securely mounted on the shield cable 103 by caulking, the inner housing 105 is enclosed in the metal shell 102, which makes it impossible to perform maintenance such as replacement of the terminals 104. Further, since the conventional shield connector 100 does not have a waterproof mechanism, it cannot be installed at a location at which it may come across water such as an engine room of an automobile.